Opinion

The data on foreign direct investment (FDI) during the current year is highly depressing. According to latest figures released by the State Bank, Pakistan fetched FDI amounting to just dollar 601 million during July-October, 2018 as compared to dollar 1.12 billion in the corresponding period of last year, showing...

The rupee’s continuous slide against the greenback has all the stakeholders worried. This unchecked tumble is set to have deep repercussions on inflation and imports, gnawing at the precious little foreign exchange reserves that have already hit rock bottom. In this gloomy scenario, pressure is mounting on the Q...

Economic dependence of developing countries on developed countries, and international financial institutions, is not just coincidental but is largely a result of a particular cultural mindset based on geography, colour, caste, creed, religion, norms, ethos and customs. Humans, since their coming into being, have always been living in groups,...

Now that the balance of payments crisis has passed, it appears the Finance Ministry is in a more relaxes position. The successful Chinese and Saudi bailouts that Pakistan received after negotiations (the details of which are yet to be received) have eased the economy and given it breathing...

Metals are of the 24x7 indispensable requirements in human life. In absence of metals, the country cannot think about its infrastructural growth and self-reliance on the economic front as well. This is also true for us and responsible for the slow infrastructural growth of Pakistan. Unfortunately, in the last...

The present government is working harder to restructure the public administration of the country to improve its working. Various reports indicate that it has decided to create a separate tax policy division as part of the ongoing reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). According to a tax...

This newspaper (November 13, 2018) quoted the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) president as saying “that the role of research institutions is crucial for creating a vibrant business ecosystem, therefore, they ought to work vigorously for Pakistan’s development.” Various research institutions, “established in the 1950s played a...

The World Economic Outlook, a global survey of key macroeconomic indicators of member countries uploaded on the International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) website, has made some dire prognosis with respect to Pakistan's economy: (i) growth rate would decline by 1.8 percent in the current fiscal year - from 5.8 percent...

Even compared to other economies at a similar stage of development, Pakistan’s undocumented economy, as a fraction of our total economy, is unduly large. This large undocumented economy not only hampers our government’s ability to generate enough taxes but also results in inequitable taxation, where the rich don’t pay...

THESE are some of the strangest IMF talks I have seen in a long time. I don’t recall the last time a finance minister declared Pakistan’s balance-of-payments crisis to be resolved on the eve of the talks. It’s also hard to recall the last time talks began with the Fund...